The European Union and Singapore should complete talks on a free trade agreement in a few months and implement the pact by the end of 2011, aiming to double trade within five years, a top EU negotiator said Wednesday.

Singapore's central bank says a survey of analysts shows the economy will likely grow 6.2 percent this year, more than the previous estimate.

Al-Qaida and groups linked to it remain the world's biggest security threat despite the killing of Osama bin Laden, the head of Interpol said on Tuesday.

The stability of the eurozone is of “utmost importance” to Europe and Germany in dealing with the Greek financial crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday in Singapore.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was appointed chairman of the city-state's biggest sovereign wealth fund, Government of Singapore Investment Corp. (GIC), succeeding his father Lee Kuan Yew, the company said Tuesday.

British author Alan Shadrake lost an appeal of his contempt of court conviction Friday and will begin a jail sentence in Singapore next week.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) said Wednesday it will launch within one year a new budget airline using wide-body aircraft to tap into growing consumer demand for low-cost travel over longer distances.

Economy-class passengers will find it harder to get a seat on Singapore Airlines' (SIA) remaining order of eight Airbus 380 superjumbos.

Ministers' salaries will be reviewed — that was the first dramatic change Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong chose to announce after being sworn in for another five-year term.

Singapore will host a major travel and tourism festival in October to showcase business opportunities in a surging Asian market, organizers said on Thursday.